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J.`L. ROBERTS.

POLDI'NG BooKoAsB.

No. 541,504. Patented June V25, 1895.

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Y 2 Sjhents-Sheet 2. J. L. ROBERTS. FOLDING'BOOKGASB.

No. 541.504. Patented 51155.25, 1895.

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rrnD STAT-Es PATENT Enron.

JAMES LESLIE ROBERTS, OE MEXICO, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OE ONE-HALE TO A. B.SMITH, OF SAME PLACE.

FOLD-ING BooKCAsE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 541,504, dated June 25,1895. Application tiled November 20, 1893. Serial No. 491,468. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES LESLIE ROBERTS, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Mexico, in the county of Audrain and State of Missouri, haveinvented a new and useful Folding Bookcase, of which the following isaspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in book-cases, the objects in viewbeing to provide a very simple construction of book-case especiallydesigned for use by students at college and by others who frequentlymove from place to place and of necessity carry with them books; to soconstruct the case as to enable it to be packed flat for shipmentorcarried in an ordinary trunk, and, furthermore, to serve as `a deskfor the convenience of the user. Y Other objects and advantages of theinvention will appear in the following description, and the novelfeatures thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bookcaseembodying my invention, the same being shown in its operative position.Fig. 2 isa vertical longitudinal sectional view thereof. Eig. 3 is atransverse vertical sectional View.' Fig. 4 is` a perspective View ofthe case in its folded position. Fig'. 5 is a horizontal sectional viewthrough one of the sections.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

In practicing my invention I may construct the book-case any heightdesired and govern the height by the use for which the case is designed,as for instance, if it is to be employed by a college student Iconstruct the same smaller than I would if it were to be a permanentfixture for ordinary use by a person permanently situated. Be this as itmay,

however, the construction is identical in both.v

instances and I will therefore proceed to detail the same.

The case consists of a series of sections forming rectangular box likecompartments arranged vertically one upon the other, which sections inthis instance are live in number, the upper sections being slightlysmaller than the lower sections, whereby the latter form an ornamentalbase and add to the stability of the structure when setup. Thesesections I have designated for convenience as1,2,3,4and5. l

Each section consists of a lower base 6 and 55 opposite side walls 7rigid throughout their entire length, one of which is located at theextreme edge of the base 6 and the other has its outer face flushtherewith, but each is connected by a hinge`8 to said base so that thetwo walls can fold flat upon the base. The upper ends of these walls areconnected by hinges 9 to the under sides of the base 6 of the next orsuperimposed section, which base forrnsthe top of this section and so onthrough- 6g out the series, but that side wall 7 whichv is located atthe end of the base which it surmounts is at its upper end connected tothe superimposed base of the next section' some little distance from theend thereof and the opposite or companion side wall 7 which is ylocatedsome distance from the end of the base has its upper end connecteddirectly to the end of the superimposed base of the next adjacentsection, and so on throughout the series, so that each section iscapable of folding only in one direction and fold all in alternatelyopposite directions as a whole, as clearly shown in Fig. 4:.

I hinge to the under side of the base of the lowermost section by hinges10 folding legs 11 designed to swing under the base and against thesection. It will be observed that by thus arranging the side walls therewill be formed, when the structure is in operative position, recesses 12at the opposite sides of the case and at alternate sections. Theserecesses I fill by means of removable blocks 13 through which screws 14are-passed into the ends of the bases of the sections, so that saidblocks act to steadyvthe structure and when in position the same isrigid.

The bases it will be seen serve as shelves for the sections and as shownterminate in front ofthe rear edges of the side-walls of the sections.These side-walls arel near their rear edges and at their inner facesprovided with vertical grooves 15, and in each pair of verti cal groovesI locate a back-section 16, which further aids in the rigidity of thestructure when arranged in operative position. These ICO back-sectionsor panels are removable it will be seen 'and are removed from theirpositions when it is desired to fold the book-case.

One, or more, of the sections may have their side walls provided withhorizontal grooves 17, and into the same may be slid horizontal shelving18. The upper sides of this shelf or shelving, as the case may be, areprovided with transverse grooves 19, and slid into these grooves andresting on the base are vertical partitions 20, whereby the sections maybe conveniently divided into pigeon-holes. This may complete thestructure, but I prefer to still further increase its utility, and forthat purpose I hinge to the front edge of the base of one of theintermediate sections, as indicated at 21, a swinging table, which ispreferably composed of upper and lower leaves 22 and 23 hinged togetherat their adjacent edges at 24. For the purpose of accommodating thistable the base of the section to which the same is hinged preferablyprojects beyond those of the remaining sections, so that when the tableis in its depending or non-operating position it is flush with the outerface of the base to which it is hinged and may serve to cover orclosethose sections below the same. A pair of metal strips 25 are pivoted attheir inner ends at 26 tothe upper leafof the table upon the under sideof the same and are capable of swinging thereunder or being disposed atan angle thereto so as to take under and stiifen the lower leaf.

The legs 11 of the book-oase project at their front and 'rear endsslightly beyond the base of the lower section and their rear ends areprovided at their inner sides with grooves 15 similar to those formed inthe side-walls of thesections, and they also receive a panel 16. Thefront extended portions of the legs are upon their upper sides providedwith openings or holes 28, and into the same t removably the lower endsof a pair of rods 27, whose upper ends engage under the table and mayserve to support the same. This tableserves as a convenient desk, eitherfor writing or studying and may be readily folded out of position whennot required.

As shown in Fig. 4t the book-case may be readily folded fortransportation or storage when not in use. Such foldingis accomplishedsimply by removing the back panels from the several sections, and thismay be done by sliding the same vertically through the several sectionsand from the end of the book-case. The panels may be flatly packed andthe case as a whole folded, the sections swinging in alternatelyopposite directions in a zigzag manner as will be readily observed, sothat when completely folded it occupies no greater space than theaggregate width of the boards from which the same is constructed.

The metal strips 25 may be folded under the leaf 22 of the table towardeach other, and the lower folding leaf 23 may be folded upon the saidleaf 22, so that the table is rendered compactand is capable of beingfolded against the edges of the several sections.

From the foregoing description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, itwill be seen that I have provided a simple construction ofbook-case, that is capable of being knocked down or folded into acompact space, and may be made of such size as to adapt it to be carriedin an ordinary trunk by students, travelers, and others, and readily setup when desired for the purpose of accommodating books and furnishing aconvenient table or desk at which said books may be examined or otheroccupations carried on.

I do not limit my invention to the precise details of constructionherein shown and described, .but hold that I may vary the same to anydegree and extent within the knowledge of the skilled mechanic.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a book-case, thecombination with a series of folding sections, each consisting of abase, opposite walls hinged at the ends thereof and at their upper endstothe superimposed base of the next adjacent section, of folding legshinged to the lower section, and a series of removable panels locatedbetween the walls of the sections, substantially as specified.

2. In a book-case, the combination with a series of sections arrangedvertically, each consisting of a base, opposite end walls hinged theretoand at their upper ends to the superimposed base of the next adjacentsection, the said end walls extending at their rear edges beyond thebases and provided with vertical grooves, of a series of removablepanels slidably mounted in the grooves, substantially as specified.

3. In a book-case, the combination with a series of sections, eachconsisting of a lower base and opposite end Walls, rigid throughouttheir entire length one end Wall of each section being hinged at theextreme end of the base, and the remaining end wall adjacent to the baseso that its outer surface would be iiush with the end wall of the basewhen vertically disposed, the upper ends of said walls being oppositelyhinged to the superimposed base of the next adjacent section,substantially as specified.

4. In a book-case, the combination with a series of sections, eachconsisting of a lower base and opposite end walls, those end walls ofthe sections at one side of the case being hinged alternately to and atone side of the extreme end of the base and in reverse rela` tions tothe base of thesuperimposed section, whereby recesses between the endwalls are produced at opposite sides of the book-case, and removablefilling-blocks arranged in the recesses, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

- JAMES LESLIE ROBERTS. Vitnesses:

C. C. LONGLEY,

CLARENCE Davis.

IOO

